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Generate - Northeastern University's Product Development Studio

BaselineTech
Fall 2024

Scope: 5 months

 

Role: Mechanical Technical Lead

Team Size: 12 engineers

Budget: $2500

 

Problem: Create a snowboarding practice machine that accurately simulates the motions of snowboarding in a safe way

Final design render

    Includes:​

  • 6 mechanical subsystems:

    • 3 rotational: Roll, Pitch, Yaw

    • Linear Movement

    • Safety

    • Board Mounting

  • ​8020 framing 

  • A sheet metal jack to pre-adjust the slope steepness (pitch) before use

  • A safety harness and safety bar

  • Adjustable board mounting clamps that fit varying board sizes and incorporates load cells

  • Linear rails/bearings and lazy suzan's (yaw) for low friction user controlled movement 

  • High force springs to simulate front foot-back foot tilt resistance (roll)​

  • Sensors to detect and record all directions of movement

My contributions: Mixing Subsytem

 

 Tools:

  • OnShape

  • SolidWorks

​

   Skills: ​

  • Leadership

  • Scoping a project

  • Budgeting

  • Interviewing and application review

  • Electrical and mechanical integration

  • Working with clients

Mechanical subsystems - click to view slideshow

Contributions: First month

  • Reviewed member applications for the Hardware Engineer role and conducted interviews

  • Worked with 2 other leads to pick project team members

  • Met with clients to determine project goals and expectations

  • Scoped the project given time and budget constraints and predetermined the mechanical subsystems

  • Planned the timeline for the mechanical aspects of the project

Original sketch concept

Contributions: Mechanical leadership 

  • Organized and guided brainstorming sessions for initial designs of each subsystem
  • Conducted 1:1's with each member to assign subsystems and get a better understanding of how I can help them succeed
  • Provided technical feedback and answered questions throughout the semester

  • ​Organized working sessions​​

  • Consistently checked in with each member to make sure the project stayed on track

  • Worked with the ECE lead to ensure proper mechanical and electrical integration

Near final setup

Contributions: Passing the project to the clients

  • Created detailed assembly instructions for the clients
  • Met with the clients to discuss future improvements that should be made
  • Fixed any issues in the full assembly CAD and the BOM to be ready to give to the clients 

Assembly instructions

Results and Future Improvements:

  • Overall, the system was able to simulate every movement made in snowboarding!

  • The movements were higher friction than intended, so the user needed to use more upper body force against the handlebars in order to move

    • In the future, the rails and bearings should be properly greased​

  • The 8020 frame effectively worked to connect all the subsystems, however was very unstable when more force was applied to it

    • 8020 was used due to budget constraints. If given more budget, welded tubing would have been a better, more secure, and safer option

  • Testing revealed that the wood used for the roll subsystem was flexing when the springs were stretched. In the future, this board should be replaced with a stronger material

Full team photo!

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